Precision Engineering of Shuttles by CNC Machine

CNC routers are the perfect machine tools for creating precision parts irrespective of its size. It can be a large part or a small part and the efficacy of machining master patterns for shuttles or inspection features for jigs. Even low volume production of components such as trialing shuttles is perfectly suited for CNC machining.

The textile industry is perhaps the biggest gainer of CNC technology. The ease with which shuttles are machined is a testament to the complexity of weave and weft. Jacquard patterns named after the founder Joseph Marie Jacquard (1752–1834) allowed Jacquard shredding facilitating automatic production of pattern weaving that had no limits. Jacquard is an automatic control mechanism that has made jersey machine-knitted textile very popular. The shuttle design is complex as the weft and weave need to match the pattern. The Jacquard process allows greater control with lesser repeats allowing large designs woven across the width of the loom.

CNC machining of shuttles is a major niche business and mostly in-house in large and small textile centers. The proper aligning of the thread in the shuttle follows the jacquard pattern and with slight alterations quickly machined on the CNC router allowing several variations of the design weave. An example of a jacquard weave used on a skater dress

With advanced CAD / CAM software, visualizing the design is very simple and alterations can also be seen before actual machining. The advantage of CNC machining is the freezing of the shuttle design and producing as many numbers as require. Importing the design at alter date on the PC platform is a simple task. One of the best CNC routers for shuttle making is OMNI CNC from China. They have developed superb logistics and design capability that specific CNC routers for just shuttle production are a niche specialty. The result being that OMNI CNC perhaps has the most affordable CNC routers for shuttle making.

The example of shuttle carving by a CNC router can be witnessed in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjqIBGefErc). The modelling is simple and is used to explain the intricacies of the wear and tear of the eyelet that is precision engineered.